The Club

"But I was right, wasn't I?" Draco asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

Still a bit angry at the blond boy, Severus growled, "Yes, you were right."

"Then, why can't I see him?" Draco whined, but shut his mouth as soon as he saw the glare Severus was shooting at him.

"Harry is not ready for visitors. Why are you suddenly interested? I thought you hated each other."

Draco sighed, "I don't hate him. I just can't stand his friends. Besides, it was Harry who refused to take my hand of friendship, so I showed him what it means to be against me, but I do not hate him!"

"That's good to hear. Harry will need every help he can get."

"So, it's Harry now?" Draco noted.

Severus just growled in return.

"What? Did you need to spoon feed him the potion?" Draco asked amused.

Severus snorted at that. Maybe he should have done that. "No. Harry didn't take the potion."

Draco frowned in puzzlement. "He did not... but…?" Suddenly Draco's eyes snapped to Severus neck and sure enough, there were two faint red dots, barely noticeable, but clear enough for one who knew what to look for. "He bit you?"

Another growl was his only response.

"But I don't understand. You could have stopped him, couldn't you? So why did you let him? I thought you wanted to stay objective."

"I cannot explain my own actions. It just felt… right at that moment," Severus finally admitted.

"Do you regret it?" was Draco's next question.

"Yes and no. I fear Harry will not be very happy about that."

"We don't know much about Harry, I mean not really. Maybe he will accept it."

"Yes and Merlin is still living. This is Harry Potter we are talking about. No, as soon as he is ready I will give him free for one of you," Severus said.

"You are sure? You haven't bonded yourself for a very long time, don't you miss it?" Draco asked in a soft voice.

"That's irrelevant," Severus answered harshly. "Harry bonded to me accidentally, he will not accept it."

Draco sighed. "Can I help you in any way?"

"Tell the others that we will have a meeting this afternoon. They need to be informed."

"And Harry? Will he attend?"

"No. I doubt this would be a good idea. Maybe the next time, depending on how he is coming to terms with this new situation."

-xox-

Harry slept through the whole morning. Severus had only one class that day in which Madam Pomfrey kept an eye on the sleeping boy while he was teaching.

Rumors about Harry were already spreading round, but nobody knew what happened to the boy. The Gryffindors were concerned. Ron and Hermione were really worried. Harry had been acting very strange the past evening and Professor Snape had looked very angry as he had dragged Harry away.

"Where do you think is Harry?" asked Ron on his way to History of Magic. "Do you think Snape got him expelled?"

"Oh, don't be stupid Ron. Why should he do that?" Hermione said, but she wasn't so sure herself. She was at the Hospital Wing this morning and all the beds were empty. "I'm sure he will get help. Harry had been looking awful lately."

"Mione?" Ron asked after a while.

"What?"

"Well… did you notice that Harry looked very pale yesterday? His skin looked a lot like Snape's and Malfoy's."

"Yes, I noticed. But neither Professor Snape nor Malfoy are acting like animals. So I don't think that there is any connection. Harry is probably just ill, or something. Maybe he is in St. Mungo's?" Hermione guessed.

"Yeah. Maybe. He was acting really strange," Ron agreed finally.

-oxo-

As Harry woke up, he laid completely still. He had no idea where he was, or what time it was, but he had the strong feeling that he wasn't alone. He could hear someone breathe and he could smell another person. To be precise he could smell Snape. He knew without opening his eyes that the professor was sitting a distance of three meters away from him and was reading a newspaper. Yes, it was definitely a newspaper. The smell of printing ink was more than clear, as was the rustling noise of a turning page.

"Finally awake?" asked Severus, as he noticed the change of breathing of his young charge.

Harry jerked at the sudden voice and then slowly opened his eyes. There was no reason to fake sleep anymore. Professor Snape sat in an armchair by the fire, inter-folding the Daily Prophet he had read and then slowly turning around.

Harry gulped. He had no idea what he should say. He probably should apologize, but what would it change? 'Hell, I have bitten a teacher. Snape has every right to expel me!' he thought in horror. As Harry remembered his attack, he also remembered these enormous fangs he suddenly had. Unconsciously, his hand reached to his mouth, but all he could feel was is chin.

Severus watched the boy intently as he took note of every move and watched Harry's change of facial features, especially the boy's eyes, which revealed what was going on in his mind.

"They are back to normal," explained Severus, as he saw Harry's hand moving towards his chin. "The fangs grew just for the bite."

Harry nodded, but it didn't stop him from licking with his tongue over his teeth to make sure that everything is back to normal.

"I think we have much to discuss." Severus said as he stood and walked over to Harry's bed. He slowly lowered himself in the chair next to the bed but before Severus' bottom touched the seat of the chair Harry began to speak.

"Where am I?" Harry asked.

"In my quarters."

"Why?" Harry questioned.

"For your own safety."

Harry frowned, wondering what that meant. Snape didn't sound like he would want to throw Harry out of Hogwarts. A bit lost, Harry looked out of the window, but then he turned back to his professor. "What time is it?"

"It's four in the afternoon."

"What? My classes! I have to go to my-"

"No, you do not!" Severus interrupted and kept Harry from getting up.

"But-"

"No buts. Did you forget what happened yesterday?" Severus asked in a stern voice.

Harry's eyes grew larger, but then he hung his head and whispered, "No."

After a long silence Harry asked in a low voice, "What's going to happen to me? Are you going to expel me?"

"No, of course not."

"But I bit you," Harry said nearly soundless.

"Yes you did and I'm sure you realize that you are in no condition to attend classes right now. In the following days you will learn to accept what you are and how you handle the new situation. You will learn to control yourself and your emotions and most important your drives. This is not a game, Harry, and I insist on obedience. There is no room for mistakes, because every wrong move could be the last for you, me and the rest of us."

Harry nodded frowning. Thinking Snape's words over, his eyes grew large again, "Rest of us? There are more?"

"Indeed."

"Malfoy?"

"Yes."

"You?"

"I think, that is more than obvious, otherwise you wouldn't be here in my quarters."

After a short silence Harry asked once more, "Luna?"

"Yes."

Harry gulped, "More? Who else? Are there even Gryffindors?"

"Harry, there are vampires every now then in all of the houses. Right now you are the only Gryffindor, as Jack Bailey finished his seventh year last summer."

Harry nodded again. Although it was kind of comforting to know that he wasn't alone, he still didn't want to accept, that he was someone else now. "I don't want all this."

"I know that you didn't choose this, but that is a fact you have to accept. You are a vampire now."

"No," Harry shook his head wildly, "I refuse."

"You cannot refuse. You need to learn to control yourself and your drive for blood, or they will control you."

"I have no drive for blood!" Harry suddenly argued.

"No? So it was your full intention to bite me?"

"No!" Harry replied shocked, and then he hung his head once again. He did bite the professor, there was no denial. And the thought that this could happen with Ron or Hermione was frightening, but Harry could not see himself as a vampire. He couldn't imagine doing this again.

"Come with me!" Severus finally said and cut through Harry's thoughts.

A bit unsure the boy slipped out of the bed. Looking down Harry noticed that he was wearing a set of pyjamas from the Hospital Wing. "Where are my things?"

"They are still in the Gryffindor tower. I will send a house elf to receive them later. Come along now!"

"But where are we going, I'm still in pyjamas," Harry asked embarrassed.

"Just my study. Don't worry."

-o-

Severus let Harry sit by his desktop while he went to one of the shelves filled with different books. He didn't search very long. In fact he knew exactly where the book was, he was looking for. With one precise hand movement he grabbed it and went towards the nervous looking boy. "Here. Read!"

"What's that?" Harry asked but Severus did not answer him.

He merely repeated himself, "Read!"

Harry looked down at the book in front of him. "Rules, Traditions and Customs of the Noble and Ancient House of Prince," was the title.

Puzzled Harry opened the book, but as he reached the index he stopped shocked. There he read words like: Birth Ceremony, Blood Saturation, Initialization, Blood Ceremony, Blood Flush, Blood Bond and so on.

Harry jerked his hands away from the book as if he got burned and jumped out of his chair. "No way!" he gasped.

"Stop being so melodramatic, you need to know this stuff. These are the rules of your life now," Severus explained and guided Harry by his shoulders back towards the desk and the chair, but Harry starred horrified at the book.

"No!"

"Sit, Harry!"

"No!"

Severus got angry. "Stop this nonsense."

"I want out of here. I want to see Ron and Hermione!" Harry cried, starting to fight against Snape's grip on his shoulders.

"You cannot, as long as you don't have proper training," Severus tried to explain, but Harry was not listening. Harry balled his fists and started to attack his professor.

"Stop this immediately!" Severus captured Harry's hands, but the boy didn't stop. He tried to get free and fought for his life until he found himself completely restrained by Snape's strong arms encircling his tiny body.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Harry still cried, but his strength was fading fast. "Please, let me go!" he whispered, before he slumped in Snape's arms.

"I will bring you back to your room!"

-x-

Harry paced furiously the room. Snape told him to stay in this room until dinner, but Harry had no intention to obey. He needed to calm down and then think about his options. He could stay and let Snape dictate his life, he could just play along, until he found a safe way to escape, or he could try to find a way out immediately. That way was the most risky choice, but Harry though it was worth a try.

Slowly he tiptoed to the door and pressed his ear against it. Everything was silent in the hall, so Harry opened the door and peered round. He tried to smell something, but obviously Snape wasn't near. Carefully Harry went along the hall until he reached a door, where he could hear voices behind. None of the voices sounded like Snape, so maybe, so he thought and hoped, they could help him to escape.

Hoping that the door would lead out of Snape's quarters, Harry opened it, but instead of a corridor of Hogwarts, Harry found himself in another room filled with a few students.

"Harry!" someone called him and Harry turned around seeing Malfoy standing up and coming nearer. "I thought Severus said you wouldn't be attending the club meeting today."

"The… the club meeting? What club?" Harry stuttered. He was completely taken off guard at the friendly tone Draco used with him.

"The club of the Black Moon Hunters, of course!" Draco said proudly.

"Black Moon Hunters?" Harry was still confused. What the hell had he gotten himself into?

Draco chuckled and laid an arm around Harry's shoulder. Harry stiffened immediately. Draco turned Harry around with an inviting gesture and explained, "That's how we vampires call ourselves. Black Moon stands for new moon nights, that's when a vampire hunt. Of course, here is no need-"

"Hunt? Oh Merlin, what a nightmare!" Harry said horrified and jerked away from Draco.

Draco frowned, "Hey, we are not that bad. Besides, I was just saying that-"

"Not that bad? You are a group of blood sucking monsters, how can that be not bad?" Harry yelled.

Draco realized that Harry was still denying what he was. So he tried again, "It's just bad if you attack innocent people. There is nothing bad if you drink blood given to you freely."

"Yeah, like anybody would let you just bite him!" Harry said unbelieving.

"I would let you bite me!" Draco pointed out, "As would everyone in this room. We are family."

Harry looked around; everyone nodded in agreement. Harry shook his head horrified. "You are all insane!" he said and took a step backward, only to collide with someone else. Quickly turning around, he looked into the murderous eyes of Severus Snape.

"And what exactly are you doing out of your room?" the man asked in an icy voice. Harry gulped feeling a sudden knot in his stomach. Unable to answer he simply stared at Snape.

"Sev, he was just-" Draco started in hope to help Harry out, but Severus interrupted him.

"We all know what he was trying to do and you all know that I cannot let this happen!" With these words, Severus grabbed Harry's arm ruggedly and dragged the boy out of the club room.

"Let me go. You have not right to keep me here!" Harry protested while he was hauled off.

"Inside!" Severus commanded in a no nonsense voice and shove the boy into his study. Harry nearly stumbled but caught himself in time.

"I don't want to be here! And you have no right to imprison me!"

"On the contrary, I have every right to keep you away from the other students. You do not have your mind or your body under control and therefore you are a danger, not only to the innocent ,but to the club and me as well. If the ministry gets wind of what you are and what the club is, then we all are as good as dead. Training you is the only option we have."

"I don't care. I don't want any stupid training. Just expel me, if I'm such a danger," Harry yelled beside himself.

"I cannot let this happen!" Severus yelled back.

"I don't care!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs trying to run for the door, but he found himself captured again by Snape. Fighting like a wild animal Harry squirmed and drew his fists in all directions, until he found himself pressed against Snape's side and a stinking smack landed on his backside, which rendered him motionless in an instance. Before he could register what had happened, he was turned around and two fingers guided his head up until he was starring into two very stern black eyes.

"You will stop this nonsense immediately!"

Harry gulped, blinking back tears. He couldn't believe that a single swat would do that to him, but the swat really stung on his just with pyjama clad bum.

"I know what had happen to you has been unfair, but to keep you from becoming the same monster that has bitten you, you need to learn how to blend into the masses without drawing attention to you and your condition. Do you understand? If you let me, I can help you into a nearly normal life again."

The tears suddenly rolled down Harry's cheeks. Harry felt so lost and so much in need of comfort that he did the only thing he could, he took a step forward and leaned his forehead against Severus' chest. Startled, Severus looked down at the black mop under his chin and wrapped his arms around the thin frame and stroke calming circles at Harry's back.

The boy fought hard to get his emotions back under control. He still did not trust Snape enough to let himself cry out all his inner pain in front of that man and as soon as he was sure he had his tears in check, he straightened his back and stepped back again.

"I expect you to apologize to the others and then you can go back to your room," Severus said in a soft voice.

"They will know that I cried," Harry whispered, nearly soundless.

"They will understand. Most of them were in the same situation as you are right now."

Harry doubted that, but he kept his mouth shut, for once.

-oxo-

Later as Severus entered Harry's room with dinner for the boy, he found his charge fast asleep. Severus sighed deeply. He placed the sandwiches on Harry's night table and then pulled the crinkled blanket out from under the sleeping form and pulled it up to the boy's shoulder. He watched the child for a while, wondering why it had felt so good and so right to hold the boy. Normally he wasn't the cuddling type.